Oral comunication
D. C. Espadinha, P. Machado, J. Peralta, J. E. O. Silva, F. Brasil
Abstract
As our neighbouring world, Venus stands as a pivotal planet in the study of planetary evolution. Its dense atmosphere, mostly composed of carbon dioxide makes it a unique laboratory for understanding terrestrial type planets with extreme greenhouse effect., not only within the solar system, but also beyond its boundaries. One of the most intriguing features of Venus’ atmosphere is its circulation, dominated by retrograde zonal winds which superrotate much faster than the planet itself and whose mechanisms are yet poorly understood.
Atmospheric gravity waves, oscillatory disturbances that propagate through stable stratified atmospheres, play a crucial role in the global circulation of a planet's atmosphere. These waves facilitate the horizontal and vertical transfer of energy, momentum, and chemical species, powering the weather system of the planet. Numerous studies have confirmed the presence of gravity waves across various wavelength ranges within Venus's atmosphere [1,2,3,4], meticulously mapping their behavior across the cloud deck. However, many questions remain unsolved and further research is needed to fully understand the impact of these waves on the Venusian atmosphere. In short, the study of atmospheric gravity waves is fundamental in deciphering the mechanisms behind phenomena like Venus's superrotation.
With this work we use observations from Akatsuki's Ultraviolet Imager (UVI) to search for wave-like structures on the dayside of Venus. Through analyzing data from Akatsuki's public database, we aim to assess the population of atmospheric waves, measuring their physical and dynamical properties, including crest number, horizontal wavelength, packet length, width, and orientation. We will also investigate their local time dependence and oscillation frequency in order to better constrain the role of atmospheric convection as an excitation source for these waves This research builds upon previous studies by Peralta et al. (2008)[1] and Silva et al. (2021)[3,4], furthering our understanding of atmospheric dynamics on Venus and shedding light on the mechanisms which drive it.
Europlanet Science Congress 2024
Berlin, Germany
2024 September
